Radler Beers Celebrate Cycling and Summer

For many cyclists, bikes and beers go hand in hand: Cyclocross racers love a cold brew as a handup, mountain bikers dig them trailside, and roadies enjoy sitting down with a cold brew after a long, hot ride. It turns out that beer and bikes go way back—especially radler-style beers, which were created thanks to a bunch of thirsty cyclists at the turn of the century.

A radler is a shandy-style brew that combines the light freshness of lemonade with the crispness of beer. It originated in early 20th-century Germany, where—as the legend goes—a group of parched cyclists swarmed a bar called the Kugleralm, which was located on a popular cycling route. Much to the dismay of the bartender (Herr Kugler himself), he was almost out of beer. In a moment of panic (thirsty cyclists are not to be trifled with), he mixed what beer he had with lemon fizzy water, claiming that he was preventing the cyclists from getting too drunk to ride. The drink was well-received by the refreshed riders, and grew to become incredibly popular in beer gardens in Munich and beyond. As a nod to the pedalers that helped him come up with the new beverage, he called the concoction “radler”—which translates to ‘cyclist’ in German.

As intrepid reporters, we took it upon ourselves to check out a few of the best radler options for the summer.

Tree Brewing Co. Grapefruit Radler
A British Columbia-based Canadian brewery, Tree Brewing Co.’s Grapefruit Radler won a gold medal at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards (yes, that’s a real thing). The company fully embraces the cyclist angle, featuring bikes prominently in the beer’s logo. At only 2.5-percent ABV, even lightweights can sip freely.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Totally Radler
This charmingly-named beer from Hopworks is as rad as the label implies. It's also the one that sticks to the literal definition of the original radler, with a blend of Hopworks’ award-winning Organic HUB Lager with organic lemon soda. The lemon soda pairs well with HUB Lager’s honey flavors and herbal hop aroma, but the maltiness is still present. And like the other beers, at 2.6-percent ABV, Totally Radler won't leave you swerving to finish the ride.

Boulevard Ginger-Lemon Radler
If you’re looking for something a little less traditional, Boulevard’s Radler is a refreshing and unusual option. It’s a bit harder to find than some of the others on this list, but if you do manage to grab a six-pack, you won't be disappointed with the brand’s 4.1-percent ABV. The ginger's spicy kick makes it an even better drink option after a hot ride.

Coors Light Citrus Radler
Now, we know many of you are into fancier craft brews, but sometimes your bike budget leaves you a little short of beer money (trust us, we know). Our staff took one for the team and tested out this radler on a mountain biking weekend recently. Associate editor Gloria Liu explains that drinking a can "feels like that moment when you’re taking off your sweaty mountain bike shoes and socks after a hot, six-hour ride.” Note that she had experience with that exact feeling about five minutes before cracking a beer, so she knows what she’s talking about.

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